Prayer and Spirituality at Workplace

Workplace often seems to sound synonyms to 'stress,' with companies keeping an eye on the bottom line and simultaneously attempting to improve the productivity. Everyone is loaded with a set of duties and responsibilities. In such a scenario, peace and calmness is something which everyone direly seeks, be it the business owners or the employees. In this regard, can prayers or meditation at the workplace offer any resort?

When the answer can be deduced from the striking case studies carried out with respect to this question. In the words of Mr. David Price, a former attorney, media and legislative representative for Christian Science in Colorado- "One of the many lessons I learned in my legal career was the importance of taking time out of my day to meditate and pray. And those times that I didn't take time for myself, I saw a distinct difference in my mood, my stress level, my ability to work, and my attitude. And those factors directly related to the success and health of my business and my body.

A survey was conducted in this context. Just throw a glance at some of the observations with respect to the effect of prayer and meditation at the workplace-

* 91 per cent were found saying that it positively impacted the culture

* 66 per cent mentioned that they experienced less stress or possessed better stress-management capabilities

* 63 per cent stated that they were able to manage themselves at work better

* 60 per cent reported improved focus and decision-making skills

* 52 per cent said that they were able to manage work relationship in a much better way

* 46 per cent reported growth in their innovation and creativity

A research project was carried out by Prof. Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin at Pomega. It is a biotechnology company, which happened to be a highly stressed workplace. However, it found that stupendous results were obtained in stress-reduction and the generation of positive feelings through meditation training.

Understanding the impact of prayer and meditation at the workplace, big businesses are playing smart. They can visualise its role in the 'triple bottom line'- a commitment to "people, planet, profit," which is the hottest buzz today. ...

To throw a glance at what initiatives they have taken, read the complete article of May'19 English Akhand Gyan monthly magazine.